Greek Salad! Greek Festival! Grexit?

 

By Ron Aiken

 

Back in May, Chomp! got hitched.

Following the wedding we honeymooned in Greece, a destination we pinched pennies for months on end to afford, visiting the island of Santorini where we spent a week. We found is far more affordable than we’d planned, especially when we ate locally and simply, such as relying daily on one go-to-dish that never disappointed – the ubiquitous, world-famous, second-to-none GREEK SALAD OF PARADISE.

Alright, I added the last bit (hey, I wanted somehow to work in “Ode to a Grecian Fern” in this column, but gave up … or … did … I?). Point being they’re simple and terrific and change very little, as it turns out, whether you’re in Irmo or Oia.

Let’s set the scene, shall we?

 

This, good people, is Santorini island in the Aegean. It is part of Greece, though it wasn’t always, or even recently, having been returned to Greece in the 19^th Century following three centuries of Ottoman Empire rule and three centuries before that under the Venetian thumb. It’s also probably Atlantis. But enough about history. Food!

 

This is a typical meal we ate…some Greek yogurt, freshly baked bread, local olive oil and a Greek salad. The view, of course, is anything but.

 

You know the basics – black olives, feta cheese, olive oil-based dressing, green peppers, onions and fresh tomatoes. Deceivingly simple, and yet beautifully uncomplicated. When we got home, I found I was CRAVING them. Turns out, Chomp!’s family also loved them, and now they beg ask politely for them.

 

Here was my first attempt:

 

Not shabby, right?

 

And my second:

 

I’m getting better at it, right? Are you ready to make one yourself? I know that you are!

 

And one more look at the original, another one from Santorini:

 

There is no better national salad than this. Forget you, Caesar salad! You’re not the national salad of Italy, because you don’t even use YOUR OWN NATIONAL DRESSING ON YOURSELF.

 

Of course, you will most definitely want to get yourself in the mood for all things Greek this weekend at the 29^th Annual Greek Festival Downtown. It began yesterday (Thursday) and runs through Sunday. Everything you could possibly want to know is at their website right here. They also have a Twitter account, @ColasGreekFest, you can check out for updates.

Chomp! wants to know who YOU THINK makes the best Greek Salad in town. Is it Zorba’s? Grecian Gardens? No Name Deli? Who? Email me at [email protected] and let’s talk about a feature!

Now, I must use ‘Grexit’ in a sentence because I dangled it out there in the headline and got you all excited. When you attend the Greek festival this weekend, you will not want to grexit. Done! Til next week, Hellenophiles!

 

 

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